You Know Me So Well
by Sylvie Orp
Summary: It's Doyle's birthday, but Cowley is still pushing them hard


It was Doyle's birthday; not that he expected a card or a smile from Cowley of course. He'd been working them into the ground of late but there was a faint sniff of some leave coming their way. They weren't taking anything for granted though. Leave had been snatched from under their noses before.

It was chucking it down outside. Cowley's best boys were wet, cold and frustrated. This was the second 'nest' that they'd investigated today where their snitches had told them to look for Denison. Nothing. What were their informers up to? They were usually so reliable.

"Someone's been here, though," Doyle commented, holding up a rucksack as evidence. There was a thermos flask in it and a couple of old paperbacks. Any food had long since been eaten.

"Who's to say it's Denison and his mob?" Bodie countered moodily.

Doyle had no answer to that and they flung themselves back into the car. Bodie was about to fire the engine when Doyle put an urgent hand on his thigh.

"Hey up," he whispered, tensing like a cat.

Bodie withdrew the ignition key and pocketed it slowly as he looked through the driving rain. Doyle was right. There was someone about all right. They slipped down in their seats as much as they could, their hands on the door handles, ready to move quickly. The object separated; two figures and heading towards their car. Fortunately they peeled off before they got too close to recognise the occupants, and headed inside the building Bodie and Doyle had just been searching. The pair quietly opened their car doors and sneaked out, the rain forgotten. They got to the door without being seen or heard. They could hear voices within. They waited, listening intently. Yes, there only seemed to be the two of them. Even match. The pair glanced at each other then hurled in, guns drawn. Denison and his cohort were caught completely off guard.

"Just try it!" Bodie yelled as Denison reached for, perhaps, a gun.

One look at Bodie's face showed him that this man meant business. The pair got up, hands above their heads. Doyle patted them down and relieved them of weaponry. This, at last and at least, should put a smile on the Cow's face – or perhaps a shadow of one.

At HQ the Cow gave an approving nod, "Good, good," he purred as he weighed up the felons. "Let's see what we've got here," he continued. Bodie tried to stop his teeth chattering with cold. Cowley took another look at them. "All right, you two, that's all. Benny &amp; Harvey can take over here."

Bodie smiled at Denison. It made his blood run cold. Bodie's comment turned it to ice – "Oh, you're going to have such fun!" The smile broadened as he and his partner left.

They bumped into Benny &amp; Harvey in the corridor. They were both built like a barn and it was a mystery to the agents how the pair managed to fit into the same car together. But it wasn't fat, it was all muscle – all 6 feet plus of it. Bodie and Doyle had to flatten themselves against the wall to let them pass. Benny was already rubbing his hands in gleeful anticipation of the afternoon ahead. It wasn't going to be pretty!

"Just got to make a call," Bodie commented as they headed out.

"I'll go without you."

The phone call was brief, and Bodie caught up with Doyle before he reached their car at the far end of the car park.

"That was quick."

"She stood me up."

"There's a surprise."

Bodie refused to get into that one and the pair got back in the car. At least it had stopped raining - for now.

Doyle fiddled with the heater as Bodie drove. "What's wrong with this bloody thing."

"Been on the blink for a while …"

"It was working this morning."

Bodie shrugged philosophically. "Good this morning, bad now."

Doyle threw him an angry look and hugged himself for warmth. "I'll get pneumonia."

"I know that, miraculously, you're a year older, Ray, but are you that fragile?"

It was a loaded question to which Doyle couldn't answer without dropping himself in the trap. The question shut up Doyle as Bodie knew it would. He knew his partner too well. Doyle could read the smirk on Bodie's face and threw him a filthy look. At least his partner had remembered that it was his birthday. Doyle didn't want a fuss, but his girlfriend had made an excuse for this evening and Bodie was showing no sign of suggesting dinner either, or a card or anything. It didn't improve Doyle's mood.

Bodie drove them towards his apartment, but checked his watch before stopping off at a grocer's.

"Are we going to be at it all day, mate? I'll get a bus."

"Just a few minutes, Ray."

Bodie checked his watch again before getting back in the car some time later.

"Can we go now?"

In his absence Doyle had taken the heater apart. There were screws and wires everywhere.

"Colin's going to love you," Bodie commented, brushing some debris off his seat. Colin was Cowley's pet mechanic.

"This thing's been sabotaged."

"I noticed," Bodie commented dryly. "But you explain it to Colin."

At last they arrived at the apartment.

"I hope _your_ heating's working at least."

"I'll put it on. Get yourself a shower, Ray, and I'll heat some soup."

Doyle knew he could be a pain sometimes, so he felt a warmth towards his tolerant partner, not that he'd put into words as he padded towards the bathroom. This had gone to Bodie's plan and was working better than he'd hoped. He popped his head into the lounge and nodded his approval before returning to the kitchen and towelling himself down. The flat was already getting nice and warm. Bodie changed quickly in his bedroom as he heard the shower and Doyle's off-key singing. He strolled into the lounge, getting himself a drink. After not too long he heard the click of the bathroom door being opened. Doyle, still naked, wandered towards the spare room and clothes. He felt very relaxed (too relaxed, Bodie often said) in his mate's apartment.

"Hey Doyle, come here. Living room."

The call sounded urgent. Doyle diverted his route and wandered into the lounge – where six of his close friends all cheered "Happy birthday!" There were clicks of several cameras too as they captured the moment. Not that you needed to be reminded of Doyle's wonderfully shocked expression as he stood in front of his mates in his birthday suit!

3


End file.
